Main
Lars Schöbitz
I am developing data science trainings and provide consulting services for managing the world’s poop. My work experience includes every sector under the sun, which has formed me into a highly adaptable and empathetic individual. In my free time I like to crochet, bake, cook, run, play, and code.
Me
Loving life in Zurich
Zurich, Switzerland
Wollyhood
now - 2012
- Just Switzerland
Multi-cultural work experience
Mother Earth
Global
2020 - 2011
- South Africa, Uganda, Vietnam, India, Tanzania, Haiti, USA, Bhutan, Senegal
Loved life in London
London, UK
Brixton
2018 - 2017
- So much fun
Sanitation enthusiast
Durban, South Africa
49 Essex Grove
2012 - 2011
- Living with, and learning from Prof. CA Buckley
German citizen
Haemelhausen, Germany
Flat plains of Lower Saxony
1986 - 1986
- Raised in a town of 600 people, I grew up with two generations, a large vegetable and fruit garden, animals and a christmas tree farm.
Education
Environmental and Hygiene Engineering (Dipl. Ing.)
Giessen, Germany
Mittelhessen University of Applied Sciences
2012 - 2008
- Thesis: Performance Evaluation of a full-scale DEWATS plant in South Africa
Scholarship with ERASMUS (European Exchange Program)
Umea, Sweden
Umea University
2010 - 2010
- Main subject: Northern Aquatic Systems, including sampling of different surface waster and analysis of DOC, COD, main nutrients, heavy metals
Change and Project Management
Mikkeli, Finland
Mikkeli University
2009 - 2009
General qualification for university entrance
Verden, Germany
Gymnasium am Wall
2006 - 2003
Work Experience
I believe in the opportunity of the human rights based approach to water and sanitation above the believe in a billion dollar sanitation economy.
Director, Founder
Zurich, Switzerland
Lars Schoebitz GmbH
now - 2018
- Teaching Data Science with R
- Consultant for city-wide faecal sludge management systems
- Supporting organisations in establishing strong monitoring and evaluation frameworks
Data and Impact Expert
Essex, UK
Aquaconsult Limited
now - 2018
- Venture Advisor for Transition to Scale Program in Urban Sanitation by Grand Challenges Canada
- Support to Clean Team, Ghana; Eau&Vie, Bangladesh; Safi Sana, Ghana
Data Science Intern
Zurich, Switzerland
Statistical Office of the Canton of Zurich
2020 - 2020
- Developed R Shiny Dashboard for analytics of incoming data analysis requests
- Developed R package for web analytics with Matomo
- Published fully reproducible news article
- Supported activities on COVID19 monitoring and data analysis
- Organised a session at DINAcon 2020
- Responded to data analysis requests from civil society, politics, universities, private and public sector
Consultant
Duebendorf, Switzerland
Eawag/Sandec
2020 - 2020
- Supported the preparation of factsheets for a publication on city-wide inclusive sanitation (CWIS) approaches and tools
Data Scientist
Putnam, USA
Biomass Controls PBC
2020 - 2017
- Building tools for data visualisation and business intelligence using R Shiny framework
- Support of R&D work and preparation of results for publications and conferences
Lead Consultant
Cap-Haitien, Haiti
Inter-American Development Bank
2020 - 2019
- Team of Consultants: Berta Moya, Anthony Kilbride, Andy Peal
- Development of city-wide faecal sludge management systems
- Detailed review of design proposal for faecal sludge treatment plant
- Preparation of shit-flow-diagram (SFD) for Cap-Haitien
Data Scientist
London, UK
Gather
2018 - 2018
- Supported conceptualization of data dive for urban sanitation data
- Cleaned and prepared toilet census data set of Kanyama compound (Lusaka, Zambia) for analysis
Consultant
Geneva, Switzerland
World Health Organization
2018 - 2016
- Global Monitoring of the Sanitation Chain: Proof of concept testing for monitoring indicators on safely managed sanitation (Target 6.2) and safely treated wastewater (Target 6.3) in the SDG agenda
- Production of country files for SDG 6.3.1 Proportion of wastewater safely treated
Research Project Manager
Duebendorf, Switzerland
Eawag/Sandec
2016 - 2012
- Project management with global, multi-discplinary teams and topics of wide spread interest (RRR Business Models, SFDs Methods and Tools development)
- Research lead on several projects that aim to develop methods for diagnostic tools in faecal sludge management
- Mentor, lecturer and effective networker
Research Assistant
Durban, South Africa
PRG, University of KwaZulu-Natal
2012 - 2011
- Drove a 1950s Land Rover on Durban highways to collect water samples from DEWATS plant
- Emptied pit latrines with spades and shovels
- Built a snooker-like table to separate pit contents into their individual constituents
Teaching Experience
R Instructor
www
Statistical Office of the Canton of Zurich
2021 - 2021
- Developing a training for Data Science with R for civil servants
Lecturer
Giessen, Germany
Mittelhessen University of Applied Sciences
2017 - 2017
- Introduction to Faecal Sludge Management for environmental engineering students
Lecturer
Switzerland
Lecturer NADEL, ETH Zurich, EPF Lausanne
2016 - 2013
- Teaching on basics of Faecal Sludge Management
Lecturer
Switzerland
Massive Open Online Course: Planning & Design of Sanitation Systems and Technologies
2016 - 2016
- Prepared module on Shit Flow Diagrams
Pro Bono
I am passionate about teaching coding with R to novel users.
Expert Advisor
London, UK
Gather
now - 2018
- Providing support with my passion for open data science and by sharing knowledge on urban sanitation
R Instructor
Zurich, Switzerland
N/A
2020 - 2017
- Teaching employees of Eawag/Sandec in using R for statistical computing software
- Started out with lectures in 2017 and continued individual one-to-one support to date
Technical Expert
Global
ISO Project Committee 318
2020 - 2018
- Member of the US Technical Advisory Group for emerging standard ISO/PC318 “Community scale resource oriented sanitation treatment systems”
Teaching Experience
Publications
I support open science principles.
Hotel-Tourismus in Zuerich – Geschaeftstouristen und auslaendische Gaeste hinterlassen Luecke
N/A
N/A
2020
Estimating Safely Managed Sanitation in Urban Areas; Lessons Learned From a Global Implementation of Excreta-Flow Diagrams
N/A
Frontiers in Environmental Science
2020
City Service Delivery Assessment for Citywide Inclusive Sanitation
N/A
Inclusive Sanitation in Practice
2019
- Reviewer
Towards an off-grid fecal sludge treatment unit: demonstrating energy positive thermal treatment
Gates Open Research
N/A
2019
- Prepared fully reproducible research paper
Methods to reliably estimate faecal sludge quantities and qualities for the design of treatment technologies and management solutions
N/A
Journal of Environmental Management, 223, 898-907
2018
- Collection and laboratory analysis of 180 faecal sludge samples in Kampala, Uganda
- Data analysis using R
Remote Sensing, Mobile Applications and Open Data Science Tools for Better Monitoring of Sanitation Systems
N/A
In HIC 2018. 13th International Conference on Hydroinformatics
2018
- Conference paper
Resource recovery from waste: business models for energy, nutrient and water reuse in low- and middle-income countries
N/A
Oxon, UK: Routledge; Earthscan. 816p
2018
Sustainable Development Goal 6 Synthesis Report 2018 on Water and Sanitation
N/A
United Nations
2018
Progress on safe treatment and use of wastewater: piloting the monitoring methodology and initial findings for SDG indicator 6.3.1
N/A
World Health Organization and UN-HABITAT
2018
Country files for SDG 6.3.1 Proportion of wastewater safely treated
N/A
World Health Organization
2018
GIS analysis and optimisation of faecal sludge logistics at city-wide scale in Kampala, Uganda
N/A
Sustainability, 9(2), 194
2017
GIS analysis and optimization of faecal sludge logistics at city-wide scale in Kampala, Uganda. Supplementary Report
N/A
N/A
2017
Market driven approach for faecal sludge treatment products
N/A
In WEDC conference papers. WEDC conference 40 (p. 2807 (6 pp.)
2017
Technical Reports
I strive for efficiency and approach life with ‘All or Nothing’.
Sanitation service delivery context analysis and mapping of excreta flows along the sanitation service chain and throughout the city
N/A
N/A
2016 - 2015
Sandec News Article
I have a mindset of learning from failures and am a signatory of the Nakuru Accord
Conferences & Seminars
I am optimistic, direct, patient and empathetic.
UN World Data Forum 2020
www
N/A
2020
DINAcon
www
N/A
2020
Latinosan Conference
San Jose, Costa Rica
N/A
2019
- Invited presenter and moderator of session on sludge management organized by the Inter-American Development Bank
- Presentation Slides
5th Faecal Sludge Management Conference
Cape Town, South Africa
N/A
2019
- Oral Presentation on Development of Tools for Efficient Remote Monitoring of Faecal Sludge Treatment Units
- Poster Presentation on Combined Heat and Power with Micro Organic Rankine Cycle for Off-Grid Sanitation Treatment
- Invited presenter at side meeting organised by Centre for Science and Environment India. Development of a Faecal Sludge Data Repository
WaterLex, 1st World Summit on Leaving No One Behind
Geneva, Switzerland
N/A
2019
- Finalist for project on human-rights based solutions to water and sanitation. Testing innovative technologies for Menstrual Hygiene Management in humanitarian and public settings
- Oral Presentation
2nd meeting of ISO PC 318 WG 1
Tolouse, France
N/A
2018
- Technical Expert for emerging standard representing the US technical advisory group
Monitoring, Evidence, and Dissemination for Scale (MEDS) convening
Dakar, Senegal
N/A
2018
- Hosted by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF)
13th International Hydroinformatics Conference
Palermo, Italy
N/A
2018
- Oral presentation on Remote sensing, mobile applications and open data science tools for better monitoring of sanitation systems
Stakeholder meeting for FSM laboratory of CSE at Anil Agarwal Environment Training Institute (AAETI)
Tijara, India
CSE AAETI
2018
- Invited presenter
Colorado WASH Symposium
Boulder, USA
University of Colorado
2018
- Oral presentation on Development of tools for efficient remote monitoring of faecal sludge treatment units
Gather Hub Data Dive
London, UK
N/A
2018
- Keynote speaker Gather Hub’s data dive on urban sanitation for Lusaka, Zambia
- Presentation Slides
4th Faecal Sludge Management Conference
Chennai, India
N/A
2017
- Monitoring Safely Managed Sanitation on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development; Experience from Uganda
- Presentation
- Abstract
UNC Water and Health Conference
Chapel Hill, USA
N/A
2016
- Safely-Managed Sanitation: Monitoring higher levels of service in SDG Target 6.2
- [Event support]https://kutt.it/p4toLj)
Sandec Research Seminar
Duebendorf, Switzerland
N/A
2016
- Shit-Flow-Diagrams and the potential for monitoring of Sustainable Development Goals
UNC Water and Health Conference
Chapel Hill, USA
N/A
2015
- City level excreta flow analysis; the SFD Promotion Initiative
- Poster
Stockholm World Water Week, Sweden
Stockholm, Sweden
N/A
2015
- Side Event: Liveable Cities for All: Integrated Sanitation and Water Services
- Side Event: SFD, a tool to foster sustainable urban sanitation programming
- Sustainable City Sanitation; from planning to implementation. Event support
4th AfricaSan Conference
Dakar, Senegal
N/A
2015
- Side Event: SFD a tool to boost urban sanitation. Presentation Slides
- Panellist: Public-Private Partnerships to Meet the Sanitation Shortfall
3rd Faecal Sludge Management Conference
Hanoi, Vietnam
N/A
2015
- Quantification of FS by truck counting studies with the Private Emptiers Association in Kampala Abstract pp. 6-8, Presentation
- Scaling-up sanitation businesses in low- and middle-income countries Presentation
- FSM / Treatment processes for resource recovery / Session 1: Moderation
- Workshop Preparation, Facilitation: FSM Systems Approach for Implementation and Operation: Research into Practice: Towards standardization of FS quantification and characterization on a city-wide scale
37th WEDC International Conference
Hanoi, Vietnam
N/A
2014
- FAQ: Faecal Sludge Quantification and Characterization: field trial of methodology in Hanoi, Vietnam, Conference Paper
Stockholm World Water Week, Sweden
Stockholm, Sweden
N/A
2014
- Side Event: From Faecal Sludge to Fuel: Safe Sanitation with Business Opportunities
36th WEDC International Conference
Nakuru, Kenya
N/A
2013
- Espresso Shot Presentation on Resource, Recovery & Reuse
2nd Faecal Sludge Management Conference
Durban, South Africa
N/A
2012
- Business model innovations for scaling-up faecel sludge businesses in developing countries: Abstract Presentation
Water Institute of Southern Africa (WISA) conference
Cape Town, South Africa
N/A
2012
- Practical experience and operating data from a full-scale decentralised wastewater treatment plant treating domestic wastewater
References
Dr. Christian Zurbruegg
Duebendorf, Switzerland
Eawag/Sandec
now
- Member of the Directorate & Group Leader Solid Waste Management